Quickly removable boot



P 1943- L. H. L'HOLLIER 2,330,224

QUICKLY REMOVABLE BOOT Filed May 23. 1942 mibL .Z E's/is Z2 1 ZZM'ELPatented Sept. 28, 1943 UNITED "STATES PATEN OFFICE QUICKLY REMOVABLEBOOT Leslie H. LHollier, Waltham, Mass., assignor to The B. F. GoodrichCompany, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 23,1942, Serial No. 444,171

Claims. (01. 36-50) This invention relates to footwear and especially toquickly removable boots useful. for example, as aviators boots.

Where flying operations are to be performed in extremely coldtemperatures, such as are encountered in cold climates or at highaltitudes, it is usually necessary for the. pilots, other crew members,and passengers, to wear heavy garments insulated against the conductionof heat. Footwear suitable for such operations are ordinarily made ofrubber, fabric, leather, or comblnations of these, lined heavily withsheep woolor other insulating material. These articles of footwear areso heavy, especially when wet, that they are a hazard to the wearer incase of a crash or forced landing in water unless they can be readilyand easily removed.

It is an object of this invention to provide an article of footwear,such as an aviators boot, that is readily and quickly removable byperforming a single pulling movement on a readily acvent extendingpreferably parallel to the second vent and of preferably substantiallythe same length as the second vent with the margins adjacent the ventsecured to the stringers of a separable fastener structure adaptedto beclosed by downward movement; of a slider element movably fastened to thestringers, and to be opened by upward movement of the slider element.The slider element of the slide fastener on the third vent is providedwith handle means for securing the slider in its lower or closedposition and for quick manipulation by a single movement in opening thevent, which handle means preferably is detaehably mounted at its freeend so as to be in the'most convenient position for being quicklygrasped. 1 I

A preferred embodiment of the invention as applied to an aviator's bootis illustrated in the cessible element, and at the same time to provideFig. 2 is a rear view of the boot illustrated in 1 Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a boot embodying the invention with thefastening means in opened position;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

In accordance with the present invention, a warm heavy boot suitable foruse by aviators is provided with one vent extending from near the bottomportion to the top of the boot and closed by adjustable closure meanscomprising a lacing means passed through rigid eyelets positioned atintervals along the two margins of thevent. The boot is also providedwith a second vent extending from near the bottom of the boot to the topof the upper with the margins adjacent the vent secured to the stringersof a fastener structure adapted to be closed by upward movement of aslider element movably fastened to the stringers.

The boot is likewise provided with still a third accompanying drawing.The aviator's low boot ill comprises an upper il having quarters l3 ofpliable and preferably waterproof material, such I as rubber orrubberized fabric, a one-piece toe and counter reinforcement H ofwaterproof material extending thereover to the height of the heelandproviding a waterproof reinforcement, and a rubber sole l5 vulcanizedto the upper I I. The entire article is lined with a sheared sheepleather lining IS withthe wool side turned inward1y. The upper II isformed with one vent i! extending from near the sole l5 to the top ofthe upper II and preferably at the back of thebootabove the heelportion, and a tongue portion l8 covering the vent H on the inside ofthe boot with one edge and the bottom of the tongue stitched to theboot. There is also provided a second vent l9 extending from the toeportion of the boot to the top of the upper II and preferably at thefront of the.

boot above the toe portion. Likewise, there is provided a third vent 20also extending from the toe portion of the boot to the top of the upperll preferably atthe front of the boot above the toe portionand-substantially parallel to the second vent i9. There is a' secondsingle tongue portion 2| covering both the second and third vents i9, 20on the inside of the boot with one edge and the bottom of the tonguestitched to the boot. Both of the tongue portions i8, 2] are ofsheepskin leather with the wool turned to the inside I or the boot.

The first vent l'l at the back of the boot intended to provide foradjustment of the boot to the leg size of the individual wearer.

vided with eyelets 23, 23. of metal or the like To accomplish this themargins 22, 22 of the vent are prois placed and tied at the top. Bymeans of this cord 24 the margins 22, 22 may be drawn as close togetheras required for comfortable wear of the boot and the ends of the cordtied in order to provide a snug fit.

The second and third vents I9, are provided with separable slidefasteners 25, 28 having flexible stringers 21, 28, 29, 30 secured to theupper along the margins defining the respective vents, preferably bycement and sewed means, and reinforcements 3|, 3| of soft leather areapplied to the upper around the vents as by stitched means to reinforcethe openings of the vents. A leather binding 32 is also applied over thetop margin of the upper and sewed thereto. Ankle stay straps 33, 33 arealso secured over the quarters l3, l3 to provide additional strength inthat region. These may be of leather and sewed to the quarters so as toextend diagonally from the counter reinforcement to the ventreinforcement and extending under both the counter reinforcement and thevent reinforcement strip. These ankle stay straps are secured to theboot by stitching. The front tongue 2i, preferably is made of softleather having a lining of sheared or unsheared sheep leather, and isdisposed so as to extend beneath both the second and third vents I9, 20.This tongue is preferably secured to the upper along the outer margin ofone of the vents, as well as to the vamp at the toe.

The slide fastener of the second vent is of a construction in which thefastener elements 21, 28 are engaged or disengaged from each other by aslider means 34 having cam surfaces to manipulate the fastener elementsinto inter-engaging relation. The slide fastener 25 is mounted on thesecond vent of the boot in such relation that the fastener elements 21,28 are engaged by upward movement of the slider means 34 and disengagedby downward movement of the slider means. The slide fastener 28 isconstructed thusly so that when the boot is donned by the wearer hisheavy leg covering may be stuffed into the top of the boot and the slidefastener closed by pulling the slider means 34 upward, thus facilitatingthe donning of the boot.

The slide fastener 28 of the third vent 20 is of a construction similarto the fastener of the second vent except that it is mounted on thethird vent 28 of the boot in such relation that the fastener elements29, are engaged by downward movement of the slider means 35 toward thetoe of the boot and disengaged by movement of the slider means in theopposite direction or toward the top of the boot, the arrangement beingsuch that by grasping the tab 38 on the slider means 35 and pulling theslider means up the leg the fastener elements are completely separatedat the top of the boot as well as along the margins so that the boot maybe doifed easily and quickly especially in case of an emergency. A stop42 attached to one of the stringers 3!! prevents withdrawing the slidermeans 35 completely from that side of the fastener, and a guide element3! at the top of the other stringer 29 is employed for guiding theslider means 35 into fastener-element-engaging position when closing theslide fastener 28.

To provide against accidental opening of the slide fastener 28 on thethird vent 20 and to provide an element for ready manipulation by thewearer in case of emergency, a strap 38, preferably of leather, isprovided with one end secured to the tab 38 of the slider means 38 andIll the opposite end removably secured to the upper at a position abovethe slider means 35, when in closed position, preferably along themargin of the third vent 20 by snap fastener elements 39, 40 secured tothe strap and upper and engageable with each other. The strap 38 ispreferably made relatively stiff to provide a strut, and for thispurpose the leather may be rolled between its ends to provide a tubularcross-section with the margins 4| sewed together.

The strap 38 is preferably bowed between its ends so as to stand clearof the upper, as shown in Fig. 1, providing a handle which may begrasped quickly by the wearer even with thick gloves on his hands forquick dofilng of the boot in an emergency such as landing in water. Thefastening of the snap fastener elements 39, 48 keeps the strap in bowedcondition and holds the slider means 35 at its lowest position.

In using the boot the slide fastener on the third vent normally is keptclosed and the slide fastener on the second vent is used for ordinarydonning and dofiing of the boot. This is much simpler as the slidefastener on the second vent operates upward to close the vent and it is,therefore, easier to secure the boot when the wearer is encased in heavyclothing. In using the boot the cord 24 on the first vent is adjusted sothat the boot will fit the individual wearer. The slide fastener 25 onthe second vent is opened. The slide fastener 26 on the third vent isclosed and the strap 38 is snapped into place on the upper. The boot isthen donned and the slider means 34 is pulled upward to close the slidefastener 25. In case of emergency the wearer may grasp the strap 38 thatis fixed to the tab 38 on the slider means 35 and, in one motion, pullit loose at the snap fastener 39, 40 and pull it upward therebydisengaging completely the slide fastener on the third vent. The bootmay then be quickly kicked off.

While it is preferred to have the first vent opening in the back of theboot and the second and third vent openings at the front of the bootthese vents may be placed at other locations if desired.

Having described my invention in considerable detail'with particularapplication to an aviator's boot it is to be understood that I do notlimit my invention to the details of construction or possible uses butthat variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scopeof the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A quickly removable article of footwear comprising a sole and heelportion, an upper portion, and at least two vents extending from nearthe sole portion to the top of the upper portion, the first of saidvents having a slide fastener equipped with slider means adapted toclose the slide fastener when the slider means is pulled upwardly, andthe second of said vents having a fully separable slide fastenerequipped with slider means adapted to close the slide fastener when theslider means is pulled downwardly and to completely open the slidefastener when pulled upwardly.

.2. A quickly removable article of footwear comprising a sole and heelportion, an upper portion, adjusting means to adjust for size, and twovents extending from near the sole portion to the top of the upperportion, the first of said vents having a slide fastener equipped withslider means adapted to close the slide fastener when the slidermeans'is pulled upwardly, and the second of said vents having a fullyseparable slide fastener equipped with slider means adapted to close theslide fastener when the slider means is pulled downwardly and tocompletely open the slide fastener when pulled upwardly.

3. A quickly removable article of footwear comprising a sole and heelportion, a toe portion, an upper portion, adjusting means locatedsubstantially at the rear of the article to adjust for size, and twovents located at the front of the article and extending in substantiallyparallel relationship, from above the toe to the top ofthe upperportion, the first of said vents having a slide fastener equipped withslider means adapted to close the slide fastener when the slider meansis pulled upwardly, and the second of said vents having a fullyseparable slide fastener equipped with slider means adapted to close theslide fastener when the slider means is pulled downwardly and tocompletely open the slide fastener when pulled upwardly.

4. A quickly removable article of footwear comprising a foot coveringhaving three vents extending from near the bottom of the foot coveringto the top; the first of said vents having rigid eyelets placed atintervals along the margins fitted with interlacing means passed throughthe rigid eyelets; the second of said vents having a slide fastenerhaving inter-engageable fastening elements secured at the oppositemargins of the vent, and slider means movably engaging the fasteningelements to close said vent when the slider means is moved from thebottom of the foot covering toward the top; the third of said ventshaving a fully separable slide fastener having interengageable fasteningelements secured at the opposite margins of the vent, and slider meansmovably engaging the fastening elements to close said vent when theslider means is moved from the top of the foot covering toward thebottom and open said vent completely when moved in the oppositedirection; said slide fastener on said third vent having handle meansfixed at one end 5 to the slider means.

5. A quickly removable boot for aviators and the like comprising a footcovering having a closed bottom over the sole and heel portions andthree vents extending from near'the bottom of the boot to the top of theupper of the boot; the first of said vents being positioned at the backof the boot and having rigid eyelets placed at intervals along themargins fitted with interlacing means passed through the rigid eyelets;the sec- 0nd of said vents being positioned at the front of the boot andhaving a slide fastener having interengageable fastening elementssecured at the opposite margins of the vent, and slider means movablyengaging the fastening elements to close said vent when the slider meansis moved from the bottom of the boot toward the top of the upper of theboot; the third of said vents being positioned at the front of the bootsubstantiallyparallel to the second vent and having a fully separableslide fastener having inter-engageable fastening elements secured at theopposite margins of the vents, and slider means movably engaging thefastening elements to close said vent when the slider means is movedfrom the top of the upper of the boot toward the bottom and open saidvent completely when moved in the opposite direction; said slidefastener on said third vent having a strap-like handle fixed at one endto the slider means and removably secured at its opposite end to thefoot covering at a position above the closed position of the slidermeans and near the vent for ready grasping of the strap-like handle.

LESLIE H. LHOLLIER.

